Difference between %windir% and %systemroot%

w^rl0rd

Can someone explain the difference between %windir% and
%systemroot%? They both point to c:\windows\.

3000GT

i thought %windir% was just the default c:\windows and %systemroot% was just the c:\ drive?

w^rl0rd

Maybe my variable was changed.
I'm on my work machine and it goes to c:\windows if
you type %systemroot% from Run.

jescab

they both go to my C:\WINDOWS directory.

w^rl0rd

jescab wrote:

they both go to my C:\WINDOWS directory.

Any idea why both variables point to the same location?

jescab

I don't have a clue. I hope somebody can help us out and tell us why.

Webmaster

If I remember correctly, the systemroot variable is for NT systems and above and windir for older windows versions (i.e. 95/9. I think the windir variable is still present for compatibility reasons. I.e. some applications might still use it.

w^rl0rd

Webmaster wrote:

If I remember correctly, the systemroot variable is for NT systems and above and windir for older windows versions (i.e. 95/9. I think the windir variable is still present for compatibility reasons. I.e. some applications might still use it.

That sounds about right. I bet if anyone has a 9x system and runs the SET command from MS-DOS, you will see the WinDir variable and not SystemRoot.

Thanks Everyone, Authenticated Users, Domain Admins, and Guest.

Jcwwuming

Webmaster wrote: »

If I remember correctly, the systemroot variable is for NT systems and above and windir for older windows versions (i.e. 95/9. I think the windir variable is still present for compatibility reasons. I.e. some applications might still use it.

Yes %windir% is for win 9x, %systemroot% is fot win nt & above, but %windir% remain to use..